Adjustable shower apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for adjustably disposing a shower head at any one of a plurality of different elevations while maintaining the shower head at a preselected angle. The mounting means includes a hollow elongated element and housing means for effecting the automatic adjustment of the shower head angle and for conducting shower water from a base member of the mounting means to the shower head.

United States Patent Peschcke-Koedt 1 May 30, 1972 [54] ADJUSTABLE SHOWER APPARATUS 2,776,168 1 1957 Schweda ..239/587 [72] Inventor: Andreas D. PeSchcke Koedt BOX 134, 2,270,250 1/1942 Blrr ..248/284 8312 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1221 Filed 1970 227,252 9/1958 Australia ..239/587 [21] Appl. No.: 75,952

Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John J. Love 52 US. Cl ..239/587 151} 1111.01 ..B05b 15/08 Allen Mccmd 158] Field of Search ..248/284, 282; 182/2; 285/184,

285/283; 239/587, 273, 282, 283 [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for adjustably disposing a shower head at any one [56] References and of a plurality of different elevations while maintaining the UNITED STATES PATENTS shower head at a preselected angle. The mounting means includes a hollow elongated element and housing means for ef- 3,000,606 9/1961 Storm, Jr. et al. ..248/284 f ti [hc a to ati adjust ent of the shower head angle 2,616,768 1 1/1952 316mm and for conducting shower water from a base member of the X mounting means to the hower head 2,011,446 8/1935 Judell ..239/587 X 192,728 7/1877 Bailey ..239/587 X 12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEB HAY 3 0 I972 SHEET 10F 3 PATENTED am 3 0 I972 SHEET 2 BF 3 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to liquid flow control devices and in particular to shower apparatuses.

2. Description of the Prior Art In conventional shower apparatus, a shower head is mounted on a tubular member adapted to project from a wall. The connection of the shower head to the tubular member is made to be adjustable so that the shower head may be aimed at a desired angle by the user.

A serious problem arises in connection with such shower apparatuses in that the apparatus may be utilized from time to time by persons of widely varying heights. It is, therefore, desirable to provide such an apparatus with means for adjusting the shower head over a substantial range.

However, it has been found to be desirable to maintain the shower head at substantially the same downward angle regardless of variations in elevation of the shower head. At the same time, it is desirable to permit the user to readjust the angle if so desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved adjustable shower head apparatus having means for movably mounting the shower head on a wall to be disposed at any one of a plurality of different elevations and means for adjusting the angular position of the shower head on the mounting means to aim the shower downwardly at a preselected angle. The adjusting means is arranged to maintain the shower head disposed substantially at the preselected angle automatically at each of the adjusted elevations.

More specifically, the invention comprehends such a shower head apparatus wherein the mounting means includes a base member adapted to be fixed to the wall, an elongated extension, first connection means for swingably connecting one end of the extension to the base member, second connection means for swingably connecting the head to the other end of the extension, and means interconnecting the swingable connection means for causing the head to be swung by the second connection means the same amount as a swing of the extension on the base member by the first connection means.

Still further, the interconnecting means may be disposed within the means for conducting water to the shower head. The interconnecting means may comprise wheel means at opposite ends of the elongated extension and a flexible element trained about the wheel means. The wheel means illustratively may comprise sprocket means and the connecting means may comprise an apertured flexible element for cooperating with the teeth of the sprocket means to provide for the desired angularity of the shower head.

In one form of the invention, the shower apparatus adjusting means comprises means permitting manual adjustment of the head substantially at the preselected angle independently of the angularity of the elongated extension relative to the base member. The connection means therein may comprise hollow members having cylindrical side walls. The shower head may be secured to the cylindrical side wall of one of the connection means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a shower apparatus embodying the invention with the shower head shown as adjusted to different elevations in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged diametric section thereof taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of shower apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section thereof taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section thereof taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a further modified form of shower apparatus embodying the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section thereof taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the exemplary embodiments of the invention as disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 of the drawing, a shower apparatus generally designated 10 is shown to comprise means for movably positioning a shower head 11 in any one of a plurality of different elevational positions and with the shower head 11 maintained at a preselected angle notwithstanding the adjustment of the apparatus to so change the elevation of the shower head.

More specifically as seen in FIG. 2, apparatus 10 includes a base member 12 adapted to be secured to a wall 13 (FIG. I) and having a cylindrical block 14 adapted for threaded connection thereof to a supply pipe 15. A tubular axle bushing 16 is fixed to the block 14 to open thereinto. The bushing extends into a hollow space 17 within an elongated extension housing 18, for conducting shower water from pipe 15 into space 17. A sealing washer 19 may be provided between housing 18 and block 14 about bushing 16.

At the opposite end of housing 18, a second cylindrical block 20 is provided with an outlet pipe 21 for threadedly carrying shower head 11. A second axle bushing 22 is fixed to block 20 and extends through housing 18 to provide liquid flow between space 17 and shower head 11. A sealing gasket 23 may be provided between block 20 and housing 18. Side walls 24 of housing 18 may be rigidified by suitable cross screw supports 25 further serving to secure the side walls in fluid-tight association to provide a leakproof enclosure of space 17.

As indicated briefly above, the invention comprehends the provision in apparatus 10 of means for adjusting the angular position of the shower head at a maintained water delivery angle notwithstanding a vertical adjustment thereof to different elevational positions. As shown in FIG. 2, the adjusting means generally designated 26 may comprise a first sprocket 27 secured to axle bushing 16 by an anchor pin 28. An O-ring 29 may be mounted on the axle bushing between sprocket 29 and side wall 24 of housing 18, and a nut 30 may be threadedly secured to the outer end of the axle bushing to lock the sprocket thereon.

Similarly, a sprocket 31 may be fixed to axle bushing 22 by an anchor pin 32 and a locking nut 33 with an O-ring 34 being disposed between the sprocket and the side wall 24 of the housing. Sprockets 27 and 31 may be interconnected by a flexible connecting element illustratively comprising a perforated belt 35 extending through the hollow space 17. As shown, belt 35 is trained over the sprockets whereby a swinging of the housing 18 about the axis of axle bushing 16 causes a rotation of sprocket 31 corresponding to the angular movement of the housing relative to the sprocket 27 thereby automatically rotating the cylindrical block 20 correspondingly to maintain the shower head 1 l at the preselected desired angle asshown in FIG. 1.

Thus, the mounting means effectively comprises the base member 12 adapted to be fixed to the wall 13, an elongated extension defined by hollow housing 18, first connection means for swingably connecting one end of the extension housing to base member 12, and second connection means for swingably connecting the shower head to the other end of the extension housing. The sprocket and belt structure defines means for causing the shower head to be swung on the distal end of the extension housing the same amount as swing of the extension housing on the base member thereby to maintain the angularity of the shower head as shown in FIG. 1. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, other suitable flexible connecting elements, such as chains and V-belts, may be utilized within the scope of the invention to provide the maintained angularity of the shower head.

In the illustrated embodiment, the angle of the shower head is approximately 45. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the shower head may be provided at any desired angle within the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6,, a modified form of shower apparatus generally designated 110 is an apparatus generally similar to apparatus but having a modified form of connecting means.

More specifically, in apparatus 110, the base member block 114 is connected to the inlet pipe 115 and fixedly carried a pair of C-shaped tubes 136. The extension housing 118 includes a cylindrical portion 137 having a first pair of end wall members 138 and a second pair of end wall members 139 at the opposite end thereof. The end wall members effectively define axle discs on which the housing 118 is rotatably mounted. The housing is sealed to the discs by O-rings 140 and a pair of friction washers 141 may be provided for frictionally retaining the housing in adjusted angular position on the axle discs. End wall members 138 are fixed to C-shaped tubes 136. A first sprocket 127 is carried on a bushing 142 secured to one end wall member 138 by a suitable screw 143. A suitable annular spacer 144 may be mounted on the bushing. Spacer 144 may have a square hole adapted to fit on the correspondingly square end 145 of bushing 142. The opposite end of the bushing may be secured in the other end wall member 138 such as by soldering or the like.

Similarly, sprocket 131 may be mounted at the opposite end of housing 118 on a bushing 146 secured in the opposite end wall member 139 by soldering and screw 147. A flexible connector illustratively comprising a perforated tape 135 interconnects the sprockets 127 and 131. A pair of C-shaped tubes 148 are fixed to the opposite end wall members 139 and in turn are connected to an outlet block 120 having an outlet pipe 121 connected thereto for attachment to the shower head 1 1.

End wall members 139 may be sealingly secured to the housing 118 by O-rings 149 and friction washers 150 may be provided for assisting in maintaining the adjusted position of the shower apparatus.

Thus, shower apparatus 110 functions generally similar to shower apparatus 10 in that when housing 1 18 is swung about the axis of end wall members 138, the end wall members 139 are correspondingly rotated on the distal end of the housing to maintain the angle of the shower head 11 at the preselected angle.

Thus, shower apparatus 10 and 110 are similar in that the housing extensions thereof function not only to conduct the shower water from the inlet pipe to the shower head, but also to enclose means for automatically maintaining the angulan'ty of the shower head notwithstanding a swinging of the housing to adjust the elevation of the shower head on the wall. In each case, the shower apparatus is extremely simple and economical of construction while yet providing the highly desirable maintained angularity feature in conjunction with the ready adjustment for the elevation of the shower head by the user.

Turning now to the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8, a further modified form of shower apparatus generally designated 210 embodying the invention is shown to comprise a first connection means 251 including a pair of end wall members 252 and a cylindrical side wall member 253. The side wall member is fixed to the inlet pipe and the cylindrical wall member is movably sealed to the end wall members by suitable O-rings 254. A bushing 255 is secured to one end wall member as by soldering and a screw 256 is connected between the other end wall member and the bushing. A relatively hard fiber gasket 257 is provided at the opposite ends of cylindrical wall member 253 to cooperate with screw 256 in providing a frictional retention of the end wall members relative to the cylindrical member.

A pair of C-shaped tubes 258 are fixed to the end wall members 252 and at their distal ends to a pair of end members 259 cooperating with a cylindrical side wall member 260 defining a second connection means 261. Cylindrical member 260 is rotatably mounted in the end wall members fixed to tubes 258. Fiber washers 262 and O-rings 263 may be provided for movably sealingly connecting the movable member to the end wall members. The outlet pipe 221 is fixedly secured to the cylindrical member 260 whereby the pipe is adjustably positionable on the tubes 258 by the movement of cylindrical member 260 rotatably between the end wall members 259. The end wall members may be secured together in adjusted spaced relationship by means of bushing 264 secured to one end wall member and screw 265 passed through the other end wall member into threaded engagement with the bushing.

Adjustment of screws 256 and 265 provides for controlled frictional retention of the shower apparatus in the adjusted positions. The screws may be provided with hard fiber washers 266 to facilitate the adjustment thereof.

Thus, shower apparatus 210 functions to permit the manual adjustment of the shower head with the tubes 258 defining the elongated extension between the first connection means 251 and the second connection means 261 for providing adjusted elevation of the shower head. In this embodiment, the shower head may be adjusted to the desired water delivery angle subsequent to the elevational repositioning thereof by suitably swinging the shower head on the cylindrical member 260 on the end walls 259 of the connection 261. Each of the connection means comprises hollow members thereby defining portions of the means for conducting the shower water in inlet member 215 to the shower head. The bushing and screw means 255,256 and 264,265 extend axially through the hollow members for connecting the end walls for controlled retention of the apparatus in the desired arrangement.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

I claim:

1. Shower apparatus comprising:

a shower head;

means for movably mounting said shower head on a wall to be disposed at any one of a plurality of different elevations;

means for pivotally adjusting the angular position of said head on said mounting means to aim the shower head at a preselected delivery angle to the horizontal, said mounting means including means responsive to a change in the elevation of said head to change the pivotal positions of the head on the mounting means for maintaining said head disposed substantially at said preselected angle at each of said elevations; and

means for conducting water to said shower head for delivery therefrom at substantially the same angle at each of said elevations.

2. The shower apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a base member adapted to be fixed to the wall, an elongated extension, first connection means for swingably connecting one end of the extension to the base member, second connection means for swingably connecting said head to the other end of the extension, and means interconnecting the swingable connecting means for causing said head to be swung by said second connection means the same amount as a swing of the extension on said base member by said first connection means.

3. The shower apparatus of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises wheel means on said connecting means and a flexible element trained about said wheel means.

4. The shower apparatus of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises sprocket means on said connecting means and an apertured flexible element trained about said sprocket means.

5. The shower apparatus of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises a duct for conducting water from said base member to said shower head, and said interconnecting means extends through said duct for connecting said first and second connection means.

6. The shower apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first connection means includes an annular tube having one portion fixed to said base member and a second portion spaced from said first portion swingably connected to said one end of the extension, said tube comprising a portion of said means for conducting water to said shower head.

7. The shower apparatus of claim 1 wherein said adjusting means and said water conducting means include a common housing extending substantially between the wall and the shower head.

8. The shower apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conducting means includes an elongated housing and said adjusting means comprises tubular means pivotally mounted in said housing and comprising means for conducting water into and from said housing.

9. Shower apparatus comprising:

a shower head;

means for movably mounting said shower head on a wall to be disposed at any one of a plurality of different elevations;

means for adjusting the angular position of said head on said mounting means to aim the shower head at a preselected delivery angle, said mounting means including means for permitting manual adjustment of said head substantially at said preselected angle at each of said elevations; and

means for conducting water to said shower head for delivery therefrom at substantially the same angle at each of said elevations, said mounting means including a base member adapted to be fixed to the wall, an elongated extension, first connection means for swingably connecting one end of the extension to the base member, second connection means for swingably connecting said head to the other end of the extension, and means interconnecting the swingable connecting means for causing said head to be swung by said second connection means the same amount as a swing of the extension on said base member by said first connection means, and said elongated extension comprising flow passage means further defining a portion of said water conducting means.

10. The shower apparatus of claim 9 wherein said connection means comprise a pair of spaced circular end walls.

11. The shower apparatus of claim 9 wherein said connection means includes friction means for providing retained positioning of the apparatus.

12. The shower apparatus of claim 9 including side walls of said second connection means for connecting the shower head thereto. 

1. Shower apparatus comprising: a shower head; means for movably mounting said shower head on a wall to be disposed at any one of a plurality of different elevations; means for pivotally adjusting the angular position of said head on said mounting means to aim the shower head at a preselected delivery angle to the horizontal, said mounting means including means responsive to a change in the elevation of said head to change the pivotal positions of the head on the mounting means for maintaining said head disposed substantially at said preselected angle at each of said elevations; and means for conducting water to said shower head for delivery therefrom at substantially the same angle at each of said elevations.
 2. The shower apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a base member adapted to be fixed to the wall, an elongated extension, first connection means for swingably connecting one end of the extension to the base member, second connection means fOr swingably connecting said head to the other end of the extension, and means interconnecting the swingable connecting means for causing said head to be swung by said second connection means the same amount as a swing of the extension on said base member by said first connection means.
 3. The shower apparatus of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises wheel means on said connecting means and a flexible element trained about said wheel means.
 4. The shower apparatus of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises sprocket means on said connecting means and an apertured flexible element trained about said sprocket means.
 5. The shower apparatus of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises a duct for conducting water from said base member to said shower head, and said interconnecting means extends through said duct for connecting said first and second connection means.
 6. The shower apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first connection means includes an annular tube having one portion fixed to said base member and a second portion spaced from said first portion swingably connected to said one end of the extension, said tube comprising a portion of said means for conducting water to said shower head.
 7. The shower apparatus of claim 1 wherein said adjusting means and said water conducting means include a common housing extending substantially between the wall and the shower head.
 8. The shower apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conducting means includes an elongated housing and said adjusting means comprises tubular means pivotally mounted in said housing and comprising means for conducting water into and from said housing.
 9. Shower apparatus comprising: a shower head; means for movably mounting said shower head on a wall to be disposed at any one of a plurality of different elevations; means for adjusting the angular position of said head on said mounting means to aim the shower head at a preselected delivery angle, said mounting means including means for permitting manual adjustment of said head substantially at said preselected angle at each of said elevations; and means for conducting water to said shower head for delivery therefrom at substantially the same angle at each of said elevations, said mounting means including a base member adapted to be fixed to the wall, an elongated extension, first connection means for swingably connecting one end of the extension to the base member, second connection means for swingably connecting said head to the other end of the extension, and means interconnecting the swingable connecting means for causing said head to be swung by said second connection means the same amount as a swing of the extension on said base member by said first connection means, and said elongated extension comprising flow passage means further defining a portion of said water conducting means.
 10. The shower apparatus of claim 9 wherein said connection means comprise a pair of spaced circular end walls.
 11. The shower apparatus of claim 9 wherein said connection means includes friction means for providing retained positioning of the apparatus.
 12. The shower apparatus of claim 9 including side walls of said second connection means for connecting the shower head thereto. 